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Climate change decreases aquatic ecosystem productivity of Lake Tanganyika, Africa

Nature volume 424, pages 766–768 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

Although the effects of climate warming on the chemical and physical properties of lakes have been documented1, biotic and ecosystem-scale responses to climate change have been only estimated or predicted by manipulations and models1. Here we present evidence that climate warming is diminishing productivity in Lake Tanganyika, East Africa. This lake has historically supported a highly productive pelagic fishery that currently provides 25–40% of the animal protein supply for the populations of the surrounding countries2. In parallel with regional warming patterns since the beginning of the twentieth century, a rise in surface-water temperature has increased the stability of the water column. A regional decrease in wind velocity has contributed to reduced mixing, decreasing deep-water nutrient upwelling and entrainment into surface waters. Carbon isotope records in sediment cores suggest that primary productivity may have decreased by about 20%, implying a roughly 30% decrease in fish yields. Our study provides evidence that the impact of regional effects of global climate change on aquatic ecosystem functions and services can be larger than that of local anthropogenic activity or overfishing.

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Figure 1: Historical meteorological records for the north (open circles) and south (filled circles) of Lake Tanganyika.
Figure 2: Historical and recent limnological measurements from the middle basin of Lake Tanganyika.
Figure 3: Carbon isotope records in sediment cores. δ13C values indicate a post- 1950s trend towards more negative values in all cores.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. O'Reilly for assistance with stability calculations, and M. Brenner, P. Brooks, and J. McManus for comments on the manuscript. The Tanzanian Commission for Science and the Tanzanian Immigration Agency provided research permits, and the Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute and the crew of the R/V Explorer provided field assistance. This work was funded by the National Science Foundation, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)/FINNIDA Research for the Management of the Fisheries of Lake Tanganyika Project, United Nations/Global Environment Facility Lake Tanganyika Biodiversity Project, University of Arizona Graduate College, Sigma Xi, Geological Society of America, and Office for Scientific, Technical and Cultural Affairs of the Prime Minister of Belgium.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Catherine M. O'Reilly

    Present address: Environmental Science Program, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, 12603, USA

  2. Simone R. Alin

    Present address: Large Lakes Observatory, University of Minnesota, Duluth, Minnesota, 55812, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, 85721, USA

    Catherine M. O'Reilly, Simone R. Alin & Andrew S. Cohen

  2. Royal Museum for Central Africa, 3080, Tervuren

    Pierre-Denis Plisnier

  3. Department of Biology, Namur University, B-5000, Namur, Belgium

    Pierre-Denis Plisnier

  4. Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Tulane University, Louisiana, 70118, New Orleans, USA

    Brent A. McKee

Authors
  1. Catherine M. O'Reilly
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  2. Simone R. Alin
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  3. Pierre-Denis Plisnier
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  4. Andrew S. Cohen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Catherine M. O'Reilly.

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The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

Supplementary information

41586_2003_BFnature01833_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Supplementary Figure 1: 210Pb dating of cores LT-98-37M, LT-98-58M, LT-98-82M and Table 2 Carbon-14 dating of core LT-97-56V. (PDF 120 kb)

Supplementary Figure 2: Geochemical relationships in the cores do not indicate diagenesis. (PDF 100 kb)

Supplementary Figure 3: Percent carbon declines in the mid-1900s. (PDF 49 kb)

41586_2003_BFnature01833_MOESM4_ESM.pdf

Supplementary Figure 4: Consideration of the Suess effect does not eliminate the trend towards more negative carbon isotope ratios. (PDF 98 kb)

41586_2003_BFnature01833_MOESM5_ESM.pdf

Supplementary Figure 5: C:N ratios in the cores do not indicate changes in the input of terrestrial organic matter in the mid-1900s. (PDF 48 kb)

41586_2003_BFnature01833_MOESM6_ESM.pdf

Supplementary Figure 6: Nitrogen stable isotopes in the cores do not indicate changes in phytoplankton community composition toward increased N-fixation. (PDF 93 kb)

Supplementary Figure 7: Sediment mass accumulation rates do not vary significantly in the mid-1900s. (PDF 47 kb)

Supplementary Table 1: Core locations and watershed descriptions. (PDF 45 kb)

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O'Reilly, C., Alin, S., Plisnier, PD. et al. Climate change decreases aquatic ecosystem productivity of Lake Tanganyika, Africa. Nature 424, 766–768 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature01833

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